“Consider the moment you are in right now: Do you feel the spark of eternity, of life itself, lighting you from within? The spark never comes from our own efforts. Obedience keeps us in the light, but it doesn’t fill us with vibrant, vital, untiring life. This can only come from the Spirit. To keep in touch with the Spirit within, we must jealously guard our relationship to God.”—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.
Oswald Chambers’s My Utmost for His Highest is a devotional that has stood the test of time, touching the lives of millions. In its newest incarnation, the 99-day condensation presents the essence of his 366-day journey in a format that meshes with the swift pace of modern life. The shift to the New International Version (NIV) may open the door to a wider audience who may find the traditional King James Version (KJV) daunting.
Editor James Reimann strove to maintain the integrity of Chamber’s original prose while making it relatable to today’s reader. The added subject and scripture indexes are a practical touch, simplifying navigation and study.
However, those well-acquainted with Chambers’s original work may feel like something is missing. The theological depth felt diluted, the continuity disrupted. It’s a reminder that in the process of adaptation, the essence of the original can be challenging to preserve.
While this edition might not replace the original for purists, it remains a valuable and worthy read, meriting a four-star rating.
** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a comp of this title. The opinions expressed are my own.